The importance of bacterial pathogens in the transmission of foodborne illness has become apparent in recent years. Several large, well-publicized outbreaks of foodborne illness have been linked to cantaloupe, tomatoes, lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, and both apple and orange juices. In addition, numerous other smaller scale outbreaks linked to these and other commodities have also been reported. Although contributing factors have not been determined in all cases, several notable causes have been proposed. In particular, cross contamination with fecal matter of both domestic as well as wild animals have been suggested. In addition, contact with contaminated water has also been identified as a source of contamination. However, the use of untreated manure or sewage, lack of field sanitation, poorly or unsanitized transportation vehicles, and contamination by handlers are also suggested as potential contributing factors. Control of foodborne pathogens in produce must begin before produce is even planted by avoiding fields which have been subjected to flooding, on which animals have been recently grazed, or have otherwise been contaminated with manure. After planting, only clean potable water should be used for irrigation and harvesting equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Both field workers and packinghouse and processing plant personnel should be instructed in proper personal hygiene and provided with adequate sanitary and handwashing facilities. Vehicles transporting finished products should be sanitized, properly loaded to provide adequate air circulation, and maintained at proper temperatures. Likewise, retail display cases must be kept clean and at proper refrigeration temperatures. Finally, consumers should be informed as to proper handling of produce, particularly in the case of new generation products such as modified atmosphere packaged produce.

The controversy over genetically engineered (GE) food during the southern Africa drought in 2002/03 raised questions concerning the safety of GE foods and the basis for the safety assurances issued by national and international agencies. In the case of foods grown in the US, these assurances must be interpreted in relation to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) 1992 policy, which remains in effect today. This paper provides a detailed examination of the roles of scientific, legal and political considerations in the development of that policy.

This paper reveals that the FDA responded to political pressure for a permissive regulatory approach by exploiting gaps in scientific knowledge, creatively interpreting existing food law and limiting public involvement in the policy’s development. Common statements by the government and other proponents concerning sound science, rigorous testing, no evidence of harm and “as safe as conventional foods” are found to be misleading unless the scientific, legal and political basis for the US policy is taken into account.

While this paper finds that the evidence for the safety of GE foods has been exaggerated by government agencies and other parties, nothing in this paper suggests that GE foods currently on the market are harmful to human health. To the contrary, the situation is one of great uncertainty. Repeated recommendations that this issue be the topic of a major public research effort have yet to be acted upon.

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing as a novel non-thermal method has shown great potential in producing microbiologically safer products while maintaining the natural characteristics of the food items. Scientific research of the process and its industrial applications has been widespread in the past two decades with many scientific publications describing its uses, advantages and limitations. The review describes the effect of HHP on foodborne pathogenic microorganisms, their structures and adaptive mechanisms, the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that affect its application with a focus on microbiological safety, and research needs. In a risk assessment context, tools and mechanisms in place to monitorize, optimize and validate the process, and procedures for assessing and modelling the lethal effect of the treatment are reviewed.

– The purpose of the paper is to analyze the different modes of species dispersal and the various types of alien species dispersed in the Indian peninsular region and its impact on the eco system and livelihoods.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper portrays the various identified alien species, the scale of invasion thereby resulting in biological disaster caused by mankind.

Findings

– The paper lists the invasive alien species (IAS) are those that are transmitted from their own ecological niche and to a new niche due to human influence, which causes the biodiversity disaster. International boundaries are indeed porous to the intentional and unintentional movement of species from various eco systems in the country.

Originality/value

– It is felt that few initiatives are being taken by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and governance of eco system from IAS is a necessity. Sustainable eco system governance (SESG) from invasive alien species should be emphasized to avoid biodiversity disasters that will have an impact on food security and nutrition of human beings.